Fire at 610 E. Franklin Street

A large fire with flames several stories tall raged for hours at 610 E. Franklin Street around 9:30pm on Sunday night as firefighters had to battle low water pressure in addition to the flames.

KYLE GRANTHAM / Courier & Press Firefighters spray water from a ladder truck onto flames that stretch several stories high during a fire on Sunday night around 9:30 at a commercial garage at 610 E. Franklin Street.

EAMON QUEENEY / Special to the Courier &Press Smoke filters through the streetlights and around a cop car as area residents watch the building burn. Evansville fire fighters battled a blaze in a large garage at 610 East Franklin Street Sunday night, July 31, 2011.

KYLE GRANTHAM / Courier & Press A firefighter looks up at the flames towering from a commercial garage at 610 E. Franklin Street on Sunday night as Evansville fire crews work to extinguish the blaze around 9:30pm.

KYLE GRANTHAM / Courier & Press As a fire engulfs a commercial garage at 610 E. Franlkin Street a large group of residents from the area congregates at the corner of E. Franklin and Garvin Streets just outside the police roadblocks at the intersection.

KYLE GRANTHAM / Courier & Press A young man rides by firefighters down E. Franklin Street as they try to extinguish a large fire at a commercial garage at 610 E. Franklin Street on Sunday night around 9:30pm. Firefighters faced numerous challenges fighting the blaze as several onlookers complained that firefighters were on scene for 15-20 minutes before any water was put on the blaze. Lack of water pressure appeared to plague firefighters throughout their attempts.

KYLE GRANTHAM / Courier & Press Flames kick up higher than firefighters spraying water atop a ladder truck as a fire rages at a commercial garage at 610 E. Franklin Street on Sunday night around 9:30pm.

KYLE GRANTHAM / Courier & Press Scott Bassemier, left, discusses his theories on the start of a fire at 610 E. Franklin Street withTracy Quisenberry, right, as they sit on the stoop of an abandoned house directly across E. Franklin Stree from the blaze.

EAMON QUEENEY / Special to the Courier &Press A fire fighter backs down the ladder to switch places with another fire fighter with a fresh oxygen tank. Evansville fire fighters battled a blaze in a large garage at 610 East Franklin Street Sunday night, July 31, 2011.

EAMON QUEENEY / Special to the Courier &Press A fire fighter sits a top a fire truck while aiming the roof-mounted hose across the street and into the nearby burning building. Evansville fire fighters battled a blaze in a large garage at 610 East Franklin Street Sunday night, July 31, 2011.

EAMON QUEENEY / Special to the Courier &Press A fire fighter, center, switches places at the top of the ladder with another fire fighter with a fresh oxygen tank. Evansville fire fighters battled a blaze in a large garage at 610 East Franklin Street Sunday night, July 31, 2011.

KYLE GRANTHAM / Courier & Press Firefighters spray water from a ladder truck onto flames that stretch several stories high during a fire on Sunday night around 9:30 at a commercial garage at 610 E. Franklin Street.

KYLE GRANTHAM / Courier & Press The orange glow of a fire at 610 E. Franklin Street eliminates (from left to right) Sean Enyeart and his girlfriend Bonnie Helfert as they lean against the front of Robin and Mark Stewart's car as Robin sits on top and Mark holds their 18-month old daughter Andalyshia. The group watched as a as flames several stories tall destroyed what appeared to be a commercial garage at the location. The Stewarts, who live near Main and Franklin Streets said they could see the flames from there and came to get a closer look.

EAMON QUEENEY / Special to the Courier &Press Franklin Street resident, Judy Schaefer, left, brings fire fighters clean towels to use during the fire. Evansville fire fighters battled a blaze in a large garage at 610 East Franklin Street Sunday night, July 31, 2011.

EAMON QUEENEY / Special to the Courier &Press A group of fire fighters sitting in the street use water from one of five trucks on the scene to try to dispel the flames. Evansville fire fighters battled a blaze in a large garage at 610 East Franklin Street Sunday night, July 31, 2011.

Evansville Courier & Press

EAMON QUEENEY / Special to the Courier &Press Owner of the burning building, Keith Fairchild, right, talks with a fire fighter after the flames had been squelched. "It's a mess," Fairchild said. He had no idea how the fire began but according to the fire department the flames began in the north west corner. Evansville fire fighters battled a blaze in a large garage at 610 East Franklin Street Sunday night, July 31, 2011.

EAMON QUEENEY / Special to the Courier &Press A group of fire fighters sitting in the street use water from one of five trucks on the scene to try to dispel the flames. Evansville fire fighters battled a blaze in a large garage at 610 East Franklin Street Sunday night, July 31, 2011.

EAMON QUEENEY / Special to the Courier &Press A fire fighter climbs down off a truck and steps through a flooded side lot while other fire fighters hose the burning building from across the street. Evansville fire fighters battled a blaze in a large garage at 610 East Franklin Street Sunday night, July 31, 2011.

EAMON QUEENEY / Special to the Courier &Press District Chief Tim Krack, far left, points inside the remainder of the burnt building as fire fighters began to sort through the structure. Evansville fire fighters battled a blaze in a large garage at 610 East Franklin Street Sunday night, July 31, 2011.

EAMON QUEENEY / Special to the Courier &Press The Evansville Fire Department District Chief Tim Krack stands in front of the burnt out building after the fire fighters controlled the fire. Evansville fire fighters battled a blaze in a large garage at 610 East Franklin Street Sunday night, July 31, 2011.